Lock



Feb. 17, 1925.

1,526,515 E. R. vlvr-:s

Locx

Filed March 1'7. 1923 2 sheets-sheet 1 allarmi# Feb, 179

E. R. VIVES LOCK Filed March 17, 1923 2 sheets-sheet 2 Hamm :3

Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD'R. VIVES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 VESDAL CREATIONS, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LOCK.

Application filed March 17, 1923.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. VIVES, a subject of the King of Spain, residing at New York, in the county ot' New York and State ot New York, have invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in Locks, of which the following is a speci tic-ation, relerence being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

'.lhe present invention relates to combination locks of the multiple key type.

rlhe object of this invention is, in general to produce a combination lock of the kind mentioned which is of -simple and rugged construction and yet practically impossible ot operat-ion except by one provided with a .rey corresponding to the particular combination for which the lock has been set. The invention is also designed to produce a lock in which the number of possible combinations is practically unlimited and in which the combination can be changed quickly and easily. A further obj ect of this invention is to produce a lock which is adapted for operation by a key of simple and cheap construction which can be readily Aformed by any one who has knowledge ot' the combination. Other objects and advantages ot the invention will become apparent hereinafter.

Referring to the accon'lpanying drawings for a. particular description of one embodiment of this invention:

' Fig. 1 is an inside elevation of a door closure provided with a lock constructed in accordance with the present invention.

, Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a. central vertical section of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical seet-ional view ot the key-operated bolt controlling mechanism taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing av key inserted.

' Fig. 6 is an out-side face view of the member shown by Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a master key adapted for use with a lock constructed according to the present invention.

' Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional 4view of the key shown by Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a key blank. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a key of another construction.

The lock is shown in Fig. 1 applied to an Serial No. 625,817.

ordinary door. The bolt 10 and its operating mechanism are mounted in a casing 11 secured in a recess of the door 12 and provided with a cover plate having an opening through which the bolt is adapted to be projected and retracted, as usual. Secured to, or formed with, the body of bolt 10 is an open rectangular' extension 13, the rear end of which is spaced from the rear wall o'l casing 11. Any suitable form of spring ma;v be provided for projecting the bolt. The drawings illustrate for this purpose elliptic springs 14 and 15 bearing against the rear end of bolt extension 13 and the rear wall of casing 11, respectively. The means illustrated to retract the bolt, after the proper key has been inserted, consists of a. cam arm 16 bearing against the inner wall of bolt extension 13 and secured to a transwerse shaft 17, which projects on the outer side otl the door and is provided with a suitable knob or handle. (Not shown.)

The bolt controlling mechanism comprises a flat rectangular member 18 which extends through the door and through the casing 11 at right angles to said casing and bolt. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the member 18 has parallel side portions extending through casing 11 and through registering slots in said casing and door respectively. The member 18 has thickened portion forming shoulders which engage the outer side ol" casing 11 and a still thicker portion which projects on the outside of the door and forms shoulders engaging the outer face of the door. The said member 18, therefore, is adapted to be withdrawn from the casing and door from the outside after suitable fastening means operable only from the inside have been removed. Formed in member 18 are a plurality oit' superposed parallel channels 19, which have reduced key-receiving openings 20 and which incline upwardly from Isaid openings extending completely through member 18. A removable closure for the unreduced openings o't' channels 19 may be provided by aI slidable plate 21 which fits over the end of member 18 and has reentrant ianges 22. which slidably engage grooves formed in the sides ot member 18. The cover plate 21 may be secured in posi tion by suitable screws. As clearly shown by Figs. 3 and 4, the top and bottom sides of member 18 are defined by parallel planes, the said sides being embraced by the sides of therewith.

with the lock above described.

bolt extension, 13 .whichisA adapted to recip ro Vcate. thereon.

Loosely placed in channels 18 are` the elements by which the combinations are deter- Y mined. "These elements may consist ofdisks .binatiom or keyl requiredto operatethe lock. The relatiye positions .of theannulil illustrated. by Fig. *l form a combinationv correspondingV tokey24. Fig,.5 shows this key inserted w-ithithewannuli inthe several,

channels brought into- Vertiealalignment. ln` ,thisV position of the annuli,v the.V bolt; can be retracted'by camleverl, as willbe. obviousr .from they lfollowing description.

Formedi in member 1.8 are a. plurality otapertures, orlholes-y 25,. which arev located. in vent1cal. alignment.and whichj intersect .channels 19., Projecting fro-inthe rear facev ot` bolt 1.0. and screwed. thereinto are a plurality` .otpins 26, corresponding in number to the ape1j'tures2 andprojecting in alignment It. will. be obvious that, Awhen a key .24e corresponding to the combination shownin `Fig. lis inserted to cause all of the annuli tobe in; alignment with. aperture 25, as in Fig,i5the pins 26can pass through vsalda ertures .and anrnili,and,t conversely, that. y .Ihen a key .which doesv not correspond to theV particular combination is. inserted, at least one disk willv be oppositean aperture 2.5,l thus preventing' retraction ot t-he bolt.

' lt. is preferred .toproyide one, ormoreblind,

or idle, .sets otdisks .and annali, for the. purpose ofinakingtlie solution ot the combination morediliicult. .ln these blind sets the annulus is normally in alignment withA the,respective.aperture 25sothat any moye- 4ment .of' such a setinth'e attempttosolve the, combination. will bring .a disk opposite the aperture. Figsfland .P3-showv two blind sets, viz..the upper andthe next to the bot tom. set.

Latch mechanism. operable from .the -inside of the. door is provided `to c ooperate The latch. illustrated is mounted in a casing 27 secured in a recess in. the jamb of theV door. It consists oa body portion 28 slidable vertically in casing 27 and formed with upwardly projecting bolt-engaging members 29 and 30. A` coil; spring 3l, bearing at. one end against the bottomfwall ol" casing 2T and at its other end against the topl ot. a recess formed inthe under side of body 2.8, yieldingly holds the. latch in. its upper or. normal position. The upward movement of' the latch ,is stopped by a horizontal.: plate for-med'integrallyy with the. face plate. ot casing; 27" andljengaging the la-tclr between. the4 .members29-y and 30. A*The outen-tace-,ol member 30 has a suitable cam for-mation, so that the. latch will be cammed downwardly by bolt l) when, the door isshut. The door can be opened" from the inside by manipulating a knurled head having a shank attached to member' 30 and projecting through a vertical slot in casing 27. The door can thus beopeneds trom the inside by any one,

but can only be opened from the outside by one providedA with aikey correspondingto theI particular combi-nation for which the lock; isset.`

.Figs 7 and 8 illustrate a. master key adaptedior use with a lock constructed as above described. The' key here shown. consists ot" a fla-tbody hai/ring a1 number ot' in.- terior vparallel' channels 32, in. which are slidably mounted pins 33 formed-1 to] enter the key openings 20ct member 18.V The number of pins'V will correspond to thenumberA of sets off 'disks and annuli, or to the number of channels 1 9 in member 18. Each pinl 33- has a. number ot' regularly spaced.

Inotchescut in its lowerfside and adapted to coact with resilient detents 3l attached to the underside of tliekey body, whereby the j )insmay be held yieldingly in a number ot projected positions. The'rpins are manipulated by buttons 25 which are attached; to

shankssecured to the upper sides of the pins andy projecting-through slots 36 for-med in the upper face ofthe keyv body. The distance between adjacent notches ot the pins corresponds exactly to the diameterof. a disk or annulus, so thatl one knowing the combination of' a lock can; readily project the pins theproper distances to operate this combination. For instance, ifV thelock to be operated is set to a combination which requires. the disks and annulus inthe next to the top channel 1-9 to, be moved through a distance corresponding tozthree diameters ot adisk, and the disks and annulus in the middle channel 19 to be mowed two-.diameters otf a disk, the next to the top pin 33 ot the master key will bev projected until the detent 3l engages the third notch vtrom the notch which it engages in normal position.y whilev the center pin 33. will be projected until the detent engages thesecond` notch from normal position. By normal position of pins is meant the positions in which the ends of the pins when inserted through the reduced openings will just contact theI disks resting against the shoulders forme-1l by said reduced openings.

Fig. 9 illustrates a keiY blank from 'which a key adapted to operateI anv combination can be easily 'formed by one who knows the combination. This blank consists ot a sim ple Stamp-ing ot brass or other suitable material and can be produced in quanti-ty at a very small price. The blank is formed with av body, .or handle portion having .projecting itl therefrom a plurality ot pins corresponding to the number of channels 1S) and adapted to enter the reduced key openings 20. its indicated b y the dotted lines, the pins are cut partly through at regularly spaced intervals, so that a section or sections can be broken oli easily, as desired. rlhe length oit each of the pin sections exactly equals the diameter of a disk. It will be obvious, therefore, from the foregoing description that a blank otthis construction can be quickly formed into a key corresponding` to any combination ot the lock.

Fig. l() illustrates still another torni ot key. This key consists ot' a body portion having screwed thereinto a number ot pins termed to enter the key openings 20. T he body has provision tor attaching the pins at ve different positions thereon, corresponding to the live channels 19. @ne provided With a key of this construction and having a set of pins adapted to move the sets of disks and annuli through distances corresponding to one, tivo, three, four etc. diameters of a disk can readily make upa keyto suit any combination.

The combination of the be lock an changed very easily. To do this it is only necessary to unscrevv the member 18 trom the door, Withdraw said member, remove the cover plate 2l from the channel openings it), take out one or more sets of the disks and annuli, and insert or Withdraw a disk or disks in front of the annulns or annuli, thus rearranging` the relative normal positions of the annuli, which will ot' course effect a nen7 combination requiring a new lkey for its operation. The new key can be formed Wit-hout trouble from the blank shown b y Fig. 9 or by substituting nen' pins in the form of key shon'n by Fig. l0. A

number ot blanks or a complete seit oi pins may be kept on hand for this purpose by the user ot the lock, or these articles may be bought as required from the dealer.

l-la-ving noiv particularly described one embodiment oit my invention, Without, hoivever, intending to limit the scope ot the invention to the specific structure disclosed, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l., A lock comprising a flat rectangulaicasing provided with a front cover plate having an opening, a bolt reciprocably mounted in said casing projecting through said opening, said bolt having an open rectangular extension in said casing,` a spring between t-he end of said extension and the end Wall ot said casing tending to project said bolt7 a llat rectangular member extending through said casing at right angles to said bolt and embraced by said rectangular extension, said member projecting on both sides of said casing` said member having formed therein a plurality of superposed parallel channels having rectangular cross sections with the n'iajor axes thereoil in the plane ot said member, said channels haring reduced keyaeceiving openings at one end o lt said member and said channels extending upwardly trom said reduced openings entirely through said member, a detachable plate secured to the other end oil said meinber covering the openings ot' said channels. a number of disks and rings loosely 1nount ed in said channels, said member having a transverse aperture intersecting each channel, a plurality ot' pins tixed to said bolt and pr jecting in alignment with said apertures a key having a plurality ot pins adapted to be inserted through said reduced openings to cause a ring to be in alignment nith cach ot said apertures, so that said pins can pass through said member, and a manually operable cam acting on the inner end Wall ot' said bolt extension.

2. A lock comprising a casing provided with a tront cover plate having an opening, a bolt reciprocably mounted in said casing projecting through said opening, a member extending through said casing at right angles to said bolt and projecting on both sides ot said casing, said member having tormed therein a plurality of parallel chan nels having reduced key-receiving openings at one end ot said member and extending upwardly 'trom said reduced openings entirely through said member, a detachable plate secured to the other end of said member covering the openings ot said channels, a number ot' disks and anuuli looselyT mounted in said channels, each channel containing a pluralitv ot disks and one annulus, said member having a plurality ot transverse apcr tures, each channel being iutersected by one ot said apertures. a pluralityv o'l pins ixcd to said bolt projecting in alignment with ,.aid apertures, a key having a pluralityv ol pins ot dii'tcrent lengths adapted to be inserted through said reduced openings to causo an annulus to be in alignment with each ot' said apertures, ivherelrv the pins on `said bolt can pass through said member, and

means for operating said bolt.

A lock comprising a casing provided with a trout cover plate having an opening, a bolt reciprocably mounted in said casing projecting through said opening, a member extending through said casing at an angl to said bolt, said member having formed therein a plurality ot parallel channels having reduced key-receiving openings at one end of said member and extending upwardly from said openings entirely through said member, a detachable plate secured to the other end of said member covering the openings ot said channels, said member having a plurality ot transverse apertures, each channel being intersected by one of said apertures, a plurality of pins secured to said lllU bolt projectingin alignment with said apertures, a number of separate bodies freely movable in said channels, some of said bodies being solid and others formed to permit the passage of a pin on said bolt, a key having a plurality of pins of different lengths adapted to be inserted through said reduced openings to cause one of said last mentioned bodiesr to be in alignment With each of said apertures, and means for operating said bolt.

4. A lock comprising a casing provided With a front cover plate having an opening therein, a bolt reciprocably mountedV in said casing projecting through said opening, aV

member extending through said casing at an angle .to said bolt, said member having formed 4therein a plurality of channels havingreduc'ed key-receiving openings at one end of said member and extending upwardly from said openings entirely through said member, removable means' for closing the unreduced openings of said channels, said member having aplurality of transverse apertures, each channel being intersected by oneo'f said apertures, a plurality of pins secured`r to said bolt project-ing in alignment with said apertures, a number of separate bodies free-ly movable in said channels, there being one body in each channel formed to permit the passage of a pin on said bolt, a key having a. plurality of pins of different lengths adapted to be inserted through said reduced openings to cause one of said last mentioned bodies to be in alignment With eachlaperture, and means for operating said bolt.`

5. A lock comprising a casing provided with a front cover plate havingy an opening therein,a bolt reciprocably mounted in said casing projecting through said opening, a member extending through said casing at an angle to said bolt, said member having formed there-in a pluralityv of channels having reduced key-receiving openings at one end of said member and said channels eX- tefnding upwardly from said openings, a plurality of pins secured to said bolt, said member having transverse holes in alignment with said pins and communicating with said channels, a number of separate bodies freely movable in said channels, there being one body in each channel formed to permit the passage of a pin on said bolt, a key having a pluralityof pins of different lengths adapted to be inserted through said reduced openings to cause one of said last mentioned bodies to be in alignment With each aperture., and means for operating said bolt. Y j j v6. A l lock comprising a casing, a bolt reciprocably mounted in said casing, a member extending through said casing at an angle: to said bolt, said member having nests 15 formed therein a plurality' of channels having reduced key receiving openings aitone end of said member and said channels eX- tending upwardly from said openings en;y tirely through said member, removable means for closing the unreduced openings of said channels, said member 'having a plurality of transverse holes communicating With said channels, a plurality of pins secured to said bolt projecting in alignment with said holes, a number of separate` bodies freely movable in saidcha'nnels, said bodies being of the same overall dimensions and one of said bodies in each channel being formed to permit the passage of a pin on said bolt, a. key havin@ a plurality of pins of different lengths adapted to beinserted through said reduced opening-s to cause one of said last mentioned bodies to be in alignment with each aperture, and means for operating said bolt. n

A lock comprising a casing having a front cover plate With an opening, Aa bolt mounted in said casing adapted to be pro-.

jected through said opening, a member eX- tending through said casing at an angle to said bolt, said member having formed therein a plurality of longitudinal channels havingV reduced key receiving openings at one end of said member, said channels extendingupivardly from said openings, a'plurality of pins secured to said bolt, said member having transverse holes communieating with said channels adapted to re-YY1 ceivesaid pins, a number of sepa-rate bodies freely movable in said channels, one of said bodies in each channel being formed to permit the passage of-a pin on said bolt, a key having a plurality of pins of different lengths adapted to be inserted through said reduced openings to cause one of said last mentioned bodies to be opposite each of said holes, and means for operating said bolt.

8. In a lock of the kind described, thecombination with a bolt of controlling' mechanism therefor Comprising a member extending transversely to said bolt and adapted to project from'the sides of the closure to Which the lock is applied, said member having formed therein a plurality of longitudinal channels having reduced openings at one end of said member and eX- tending upwardly therefrom completely through said member, removable means for closingrthe openings of said channels at the other end of said member, said member having a plurality of transverse apertures intersecting said channels, a number of disks and annuli in said channels, each of said channels having at least one disk and one annulus, a key having aplurality of pins of different lengths adapted to be'inserted throughy said reduced openings tomca'usel an annulus to be opposite each of lsaid'trans-V verse apertures, said bolt having a plurality of pins adapted to pass through said apertures and annuli.

9. In a lock of the kind described, the combination With a bolt of controlling mechnism therefor comprising a member extending transversely to said bolt and having formed therein a plurality of longitudinal channels having reduced openings at one end of said member and extending upwardly therefrom completely through said member, removable means for closing the openings of said channels at the other end of said member, said member having a plurality of transverse holes intersecting said channels, a plurality of disks and at least one annulus in each channel, said bolt having a Vplurality of pins adapted to pass through said holes and annuli.

l0. In a lock of the kind described, the combination With the bolt of controlling mechanism therefor comprising a member extending transversely to said bolt and having formed therein a plurality of longitudinal channels having reduced openings at one end of said member and extending up- Wardly therefrom completely through said member, removable means for closing the openings of said channels at the other end of said member, said member having a plurality of holes intersecting said channels, a plurality of disks and at least one annulus freely movable in each channel, all of said disks and annuli being of the same overall dimensions, said bolt having a plurality of pins adapted to pass through said holes and annuli.

l1. In a lock of the kind described, the combination with the bolt of controlling mechanism therefor comprising a. member extending transversely to said bolt and havne formed therein a )lurality of lon-` gitudinal channels having reduced keyreceiving openings at one end of said member, said member having a plurality of transverse holes intersecting said channels, a plurality of disks and annuli in said channels, said bolt having a plurality of pins adapted to pass through said holes and annuli.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

EDIVARD R. VIVES. 

